Alarm clock



Dec. 4, 1934- I. FLORMAN 1,983,448

ALARM CLOCK Filed Jan. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fly. 2.

jrrzl y F/orzmzzz Dec. 4,1934. I, FLORMAN 1,933,443

ALARM CLOCK Filed Jan. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec; 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

In the past, alarm clocks have been so constructed that it has been impossible for a person in one bed on. one side of the clock to tell the time without turning the clock around bodily. This is obviously inconvenient and unsatisfactory.

Particularly in electric clocks, some difficulties may arise in constructing an alarm clock having I 1 two dials. A further object of my invention therefore is to provide an electric alarm clock having two dials which is satisfactory and easy to operate.

A further object of my invention is to provide an alarm clock in which the alarm mechanism can be set from the bottom of the clock, while the setting may be seen through openings in one or both faces of the clock. In addition, I provide a single manually operated member which may be selectively moved either to set the hands or to set the alarm mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical driving and alarm mechanism mounted in a compact manner on a unitary frame.

Finally, my invention has for its object a novel 1 construction of an electric clock containing an alarm and novel mechanism for controlling said alarm.

While the invention is described herein with relation to an electric clock of the type which contains a synchronous motor, I wish it to be understood that my conception is also applicable to mechanical clocks, to electrically wound spring motor clocks, and to other types of clocks.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing a clock embodying my invention, with parts broken away.

. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the driving and alarm mechanism of the clock with the cas ing removed.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a detail bottom plan view of the cam disc.

Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of the cam opcrating member.

The clock comprises a casing 2 having a dial 4 at the front provided with an opening 6 and a dial 8 at the back which'in the preferred form has no opening. A shaft 10 extends through the dial 4 and carries a minute hand 12. The shaft 14 extends through the dial 8 and carries a minute hand 16. Upon the shaft 10 is mounted a sleeve 18 which fits in an opening in the dial and carries an hour hand 20. A similar sleeve 22 is arranged on the shaft 14 and carries an hour hand 24. The sleeves .18, 22 are driven from the shafts 10, 14 by means of the usual type of gearing generally indicated at 26 so that the hour hands will move at the proper speed relative to the minute hands.

The driving mechanism is mounted in a frame 28. At the back of this frame are secured the magnet elements 30 of a synchronous electric motor having a rotor 32. This rotor is mounted on a shaft 34 supported in the frame 28. It is quite evident that, as in well-known types of electric clocks, the shaft 34 will be driven at a constant speed which is regulated by the alternating current supplied to the clock. The shaft 34 near its other end carries a worm 36 which meshes with a gear 38 mounted on a vertical shaft 40 which is supported in brackets 42 on the frame 28. A worm 44 is also mounted on the shaft 40 and engages a gear 46 mounted on a horizontal shaft 48. The shaft 48 also carries a worm 50 which engages a gear 52 rotatably mounted on the shaft 14. In this manner, the high speed of rotation of the rotor 32 is reduced so that the wheel 52 is driven at a relatively slow rate of speed, in such a manner as to make one revolution in each hour.

The inner end 54 of the shaft 10 has a longitudinal bore, while the inner end of the shaft 42 is reduced as at 56 and the reduced portion fits into the bore in the shaft 10. The shafts are thus supported in aligned relation but are free to turn in opposite directions. A gear 58 is mounted on the shaft 14 while a similar gear 60 is mounted on the extended portion 54 of the shaft 10. A drumlike member 62 having gear teeth 64 along its lower edge is rigidly mounted on a shaft 66 which is supported in the upper horizontal portion 68 of, the frame 28. The teeth 64 engage the gears 58 and 60, and it will be quite obvious that rotation of the gear 58 in one direction will result in rotation of the gear 60 in the opposite direction, while rotation of the drum 62 will drive the two gears and the hands in opposite directions.

A compression spring 70 is mounted around the shaft 14 between the wheel 52 and the gear 58. This gives a frictional drive between the two, so

that normally the rotation of the rotor 32 drives the gear wheel 58 and thereby turns the hands. However, when the hands are to be set by rotation of the drum 62 in a manner to be explained below, the spring '70 permits a slip between the wheels 52 and 58 so'that the hands can be set without affecting the rotor 32.

It will be noted that the drum 62 is hollow and that the wheel 52 extends into the hollow drum, thus giving a very compact arrangement of the parts.

The magnet members 30 carry extensions '12 which are connected by a cross piece 74 at a considerable distance above the horizontal portion 68 of the frame. The cross piece 74 carries a coil 76 which is connected by conductors '78 to any suitable source of alternating current. In this way, the magnet members are energized in such a manner as to drive the rotor 32.

To the top of one of the members 72 is secured a strip of spring metal which carries at its outer end an alarm element 82 extending to a point opposite the other extension '72. The spring portion 80 is of such resilience that, as the alternations of the current flow through the coils 78, the portion 82 is drawn against the projection 72 and then springs back therefrom, thereby giving a rapid buzzing sound.

In order to prevent the sounder 82 from operating at all times, and to permit it to operate when an alarm is desired, I provide means to stop the motion of the member 82 together with means to release the stopping means when the time for which the alarm is set is reached.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 66 is a disc 84 having a downwardly extending flange 86 around its periphery. At one point, this flange is cut away to provide a cam surface 88 for a purpose to be described below. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 66 just below the disc 84 is a disc 90 having .a diameter less than the inner diameter of the flange 86, and a projection 92 which extends beneath the flange 86. It is quite evident that the disc 84 will ordinarily be held in raised position -by the projection 92, but when the projection is opposite the cam surface 88, the disc 84 will drop to a lower position. From this position the disc will be gradually raised to its higher position upon continued relative rotation between the members by the cooperation of the projection 92 and cam surface88;

Above the disc 84 and rigid therewith is a sleeve portion 94, a large gear wheel 96, a second sleeve 98 and a large wheel 100 having numerals around its periphery visible through the opening 6 in the dial 4.

The alarm operating element is composed of a piece of spring metal 102 secured at one end 104 by screws or in any suitable manner to the hora izontal frame portion 68. From the portion 104, the element is bent upwardly and then again substantially horizontally to form a portion 106 having therein a slot 108 which fits around the sleeve 94 but has a width less than the diameter of the disc 84 so that the portion 106 rests on the upper side of the disc 84. Secured to the other end of the member 102 is an angle member 110 having a tapered upper edge 112 which rests against the ment 116 which presses against the lower side of the gear wheel 96 and tends to force the portion 106 against the disc 84. The element 102 is so shaped and arranged that at all times it tends to move downwardly, that is, to depress the disc 84.

In order to set the hands and the alarm mechanism, I provide a single shaft or stem 118 which is journalled in the horizontal portion 68 of the frame and in an ear 120 at the bottom of the frame. At the lower end of this stem I provide a handle 122 and between the handle 122 and the ear 120 is a coil spring 124 which tends to hold the stem 118 in its lowest position.

The upper edge of the drum 62 is provided with gear teeth 126. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 118 is a gear 128 which is normally, as

shown in Fig. 2, in a position below and out of engagement with the teeth 126. A second gear 130 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 118 and is normally in engagement with the gear 96.

The operation of the driving mechanism of my device, that is, the connections between the rotor 32 and the hands, appears to require no explanation other than that given above. As to the alarm mechanism, the alarm is set by turn-' ing the handle 122 and thereby rotating the drum 100 until-the desired time appears in the opening 6. In doing this, the cam surface 88 and the projection 92 act to. raise the disc 84 if it is not already in its raised position. As the hands are rotated by the motor, the projection 92 moves around beneath the disc 84 and holdsthe same in raised position until it reaches the shoulder 87, when, as is apparent, the disc is free to drop down to its lower position. Obviously, the parts are so arranged that the disc will drop to its lowered position when the hands reach the time set on the .drum 100.

When the disc 84 is free to drop, the resilient 5 element 102 and its portion 106 push the disc downwardly. This downward movement of the portion 106 results in a droppin of the projection 112 which therefore moves out from beneath the sounder 82 and permits the same to sound 2] an alarm. Although the thickness of the projection '92 is comparatively slight, it will be noted that the effect of this thickness is greatly magnifled by the fact that the portion 106 acts as a lever which rests normally on the edge of the 5 disc 84 nearest the end 104, so that the vertical movement of the portion 112 will be from three to six times the thickness of the projection 92. For this reason, the disc 84 need only drop a slight distance. After the alarm has operated 3 for a short time, the cam surface will raise the disc and stop the alarm.

If ,it is desired to set the hands, all that is necessary is to lift the clock, to press the stem 122 until the gear disengages the gear 96 and 35 the gear-128 engages the gear 126. Rotation of the drum 62 will then causerotation of the hands in opposite directions. The hands may thus be set without affecting the setting of the alarm mechanism. I 4

Obviously, the raising and lowering of the disc 84 is not great enough to move the drum 100 out of sight through the opening6. However, this opening is so arranged that the drum is exactly aligned therewith when in its raised position.

It is quite evident that, if it is desired to have the alarm indicating drum visible from 'either side of the clock, I mightprowlde two drums sim-' ilar to the drum 100 one above the other with the numerals thereon in diametrically opposite159 relation, leaving a space in the element 102 and in the dial 8, through which the added drum would be visible.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clock, a pair of oppositely facing dials, a shaft extending through each of said dials, a gear on each of said shafts, a rotatably mounted hollow drum having gear teeth on one edge thereof engaging the said gears, whereby rotation of one of said shafts will drive the other shaft in the oppwite direction, hands on said shafts, and means to drive one of said shafts including a gear mounted thereon and extending within said hollow drum, said drum having teeth on its periphery, and a manually rotatable shaft havin a gear thereon engageable with said peripheral teeth to set the hands.

2. In a clock, a pair of oppositely facing dials, a shaft extending through each of said dials, a gear on 'each of said shafts, a rotatably mounted hollow drum having gear teeth on one edge thereof engaging the said gears, whereby rotation of one of said shafts will drive the other shaft in the opposite direction, hands on said shafts, and means to drive one ofsaid shafts including a gear mounted thereon and extending within said hollow drum.

3. In an electric alarm clock, a frame, a dial, said dial having an opening therein, a horizontal shaft mounted in said frame and extending through said dial, hands mounted on said shaft, means to drive said hands including a synchronous electric motor, a gear loosely mounted on said shaft, a second gear rigidly mounted on said shaft, friction means between said gears where- .by rotation of said first gear drives said shaft,

means connecting said motor to said first gear to drive said shaft, a vertical shaft mounted on said frame, a drum mounted on said vertical shaft and having gear teeth on the lower edge thereof engaging the gear rigidly mounted on the said horizontal shaft, said drum being hollow and said first gear extending into the hollow portion of the drum, an alarm mechanism including an element resiliently mounted on one portion of said frame and extending to a point adjacent another portion of the frame and normally out of contact therewith, means to energize said frame including a coil mounted thereon, means to control said alarm mechanism including a disc .rotatably mounted on said vertical shaft, a second disc fixed on said vertical shaft below said first disc, said first disc having a downwardly extending flange thereon having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said second disc andhaving a cam portion, a projection on said second disc extending beneath said flange and cooperating therewith to raise and lower said first disc, a sleeve portion above said first disc and connected thereto and of less-diameter, a gear above said sleeve portion connected thereto and having a greater diameter than said disc, a drum above said gear and connected thereto having indicia thereon visible through the opening in the dial to indicate the setting of the said first disc, an element of spring 'metal fixed at one end to said frame and having a portion extending in a direction transverse to said vertical shaft between said disc and said last-named gear, and having at its free end an upwardly extending portion, the end of said upwardly extending portion lying against said frame and being movable upwardly and downwardly along said frame to a point beneath said resiliently mounted element to prevent the operation of the same, said drum having teeth on the periphery thereof, a vertically movable shaft mounted in said frame and having a gear normally engaging said gear on the sleeve, and a second gear engageable with but normally out of engagement with the teeth on said drum, said shaft being manually slidable and rotatable to set said alarm mechanism or said hands.

4. In an electric alarm clock, a frame, a dial, said dial having an opening therein, a shaft mounted in said frame and extending through said dial, hands mounted on said shaft, means to drive said hands including a synchronous electric motor and friction means connecting said motor to said shaft, a gear mounted on said shaft, a second shaft mounted in said frame at right angles tosaid first shaft, a drum mounted on said second shaft and having gear teeth on the lower edge thereof engaging the gear on the said firstshaft, an alarm mechanism mounted on one portion of said frame, means to control said alarm mechanism including a gear on said second shaft, a drum above said gear and connected thereto having indicia thereon visible through the opening in the dial to indicate the settingof the said first disc, means controlled by rotation of said gear to set the alarm mechanism, said first drum having teeth on the periphery thereof, a vertically movable shaft mounted in said frame and having a gear normally engaging said gear on said second shaft, and a second gear engageable with but normally out of engagement with the teeth on said drum, said shaft being manually slidable and rotatable to set said alarm mechanism or said hands.

5. In an electric alarm clock, a frame, a dial, said dial having an opening therein, a shaft mounted in said frame and extending through said dial, hands mounted on 'said shaft, means to drive said hands including a synchronous electric motor and friction means connecting said motor to said shaft, a gear mounted on said shaft, a second shaft mounted in said frame at right angles to said first shaft, a drum mounted on said second shaft and having gear teeth on the lower edge thereof engaging the gear on the said first shaft, an alarm mechanism mounted on one portion of said frame, means to control said alarm mechanism including a disc rotatably mounted on said second shaft, a second disc fixed on said second shaft below said first disc, said first disc having a downwardly extending flange thereon having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of said second disc and having a cam portion, a projection on said second disc extending beneath said flange and cooperating therewith to raise and lower said first disc, a sleeve portion above said first disc and connected thereto and of less diameter, a gear above said sleeve portion connected thereto and having a greater diameter than said disc, a

drum above said gear and connected thereto havextending-portions of suchflshaft members, a

gear on each of such shaft members, a gear membar above said shaft mechanism engaging both said gears, gearing connecting one of such shaft members to said motor and including a gear on the shaft member and a friction connection between said gear and said shaft member, whereby said motor turns said hands in opposite directions, and means manually operable from the bottom of the clock to turn said gear member to set the hands.

IRVING FLORMAN.- 

